Folding umbrella



March 18, 1958 M. NUSSBAUMER 9 9 FOLDING UMBRELLA I Filed Nov. 25, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 3W NUSSBAUMER BY ATTORNEY March 18;, 1958 r M. NUSSBAUMER 9 3 FOLDING UMBRELLA biled Nov. 23, 1954 3 Shegts-Sheet 2 INVENTOR iX NUSSBHUMER BY VT z/Www ATTORNEY March 18, 1958 1 M. NUSSBAUMER 2,327,066

FOLDING UMBRELLA Filed Nov. 23, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 H65 35 21 as INVENTOR MAX NUSSBR NER BY a 9; =7 eli-ace Apalicatiou November 23, 1954, Serial No. 47 3,7223

priority, application Swit erland November 25, 1953 11 Claims. (Cl. 135-45)) This invention relates to a folding umbrella of the ype having a roof or cover of flexible sheet material, preferably an artificial material, the cover or roof having ho low spaces, such as supporting ribs or supporting cushions shaping the cover or roof when inflated and the cover being easily foldable when deflated.

Umbrellas of mat type are known in many executional and it was particularly tried to accommodate a inflating the umbrella cover in the umbrella it was proposed to make the extensible umbrella of telescoping tubes and to provide for relative movement of at least one, preferably of he outermost of such tubes in inner tubes in order to obtain a pumping effect. in order that pumping may easily be done with such a construction the telescoping parts or tubes should be worked very precisely and should be of appreciable size and length so that an appreciable pumping volume is obtained, thereby allowing quick inflation of the umbrella cover.

All of the known umb ella sticks consisting of telescoping tubes proved to be entirely unsatisfactory because it was very diflicult to secure the telescoping tubes in the extended position in order to obtain suflicient stifiness stability of the stick and to provide'for easy telescoping of such tubes during pumping and for collapsing the stick.

it is a first object of this invention to provide an umbrella stick which is an ideal pump and which may easily be telescoped in axial direction and which may easily be transformed into a stiff, resistant body by a simple movement. According to this invention the urnbrella stick consists of a spiral tape in the shape of a volute spring, variable in its axial extension. in the loose state of the spiral tape, that is when there is only slight contac between adjacent windings of the spiral, the same may easily be compressed in axial direction, whereby the interior of the spiral tape may serve as a pump volume which commun cates with the hollow spaces of the umbrella roof or cover through a nonreturn valve. Preferably the spiral tape is made of resilient material such as stainless steel, an aluminium alloy or the like, the unstressed spiral tape having an axia. extension determining the length of the stick when in use. During pumping the spiral tape always returns to its greatest extension by its own resilience whereupon it may again be compressed by pressure onto its lower end which is preferably fixed to a handle, whereby the air enclosed in the -nterior the stick is compressed and flows into the hollow spaces of the umbrella cover or roof through the said non-return valve.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following escription and from the accompanying rawings which sh by way of example, an embodiment of the invention. in the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of the umbrella in inflated stat Fig. 2 is e. a top view of the umbrella in inflated state.

Fig. 3 shows the umbrella stick with the fixing portions of the umbrella roof or cover in an enlarged axial section on the line Illlil in Fig. 8.

Fig. 4 shows the umbrella handle in an axial section corresponding to the axial section of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an axial section along the line V--V in Fig. 2 and on an enlarged scale illustrating the shape of the inner portions of the umbrella cover in inflated state.

Fig. 6 is a section along the line Vi--VI in Fig. 2 through the outer portions of the umbrella cover.

Fig. 7 shows a portion of the rim of the umbrella cover in fiat, deflated state.

Fig. 8 is a section of the umbrella stick along the line VIII-VH1 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a cross section through one of the supporting ribs of the umbrella cover along the line lX-IX in Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 illustrates an improved form of the umbrella as shown in Figs. 1 to 9.

The folding umbrella illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 has a roof or cover 1 and a stick 2 with a handle 3. The construction of the umbrella stick 2 and of the handle 3 is shown in an enlarged section in Figs. 3 and 4. The umbrella stick substantially consists of a spiral tape 4 made for instance of stainless steel or an aluminium alloy, and which is fixed at its upper end to a tube-like part 5 by means of countersunk screws 6. The upper end of the tape is tightly pressed into an annular groove 7 of the part The lower end of the spiral tape 4 is inserted into the sleeve-like umbrella handle 3 and is fixed therein by means of countersunk screws 9. The spiral tape is manufactured in such a way that the unstressed spiral tape assumes its greatest axial extension and therefore always tends to bring the stick 2 into its most extended shape whereby it determines the length of the stick when in use. One of the lower windings of the tape has a small opening 3 (more than one opening might of course be provided) which is uncovered when the spiral tape is entirely extended and which will soon be covered by the adjacent winding when the spiral tape is telescoped together. The umbrella handle 3 has a conical external face 10 and a pressing ring 11 held on this surface which ring 11 may freely be displaced in axial direction on the handle. The handle 3 of the umbrella has at least one slit 12 so that the circumferential lengt of the handle may be changed by axial displacement of the pressing ring 11 and the handle may radially be pressed onto the lower windings of the spiral tape when the pressing ring ii is slid downwards from the position shown in Fig. 4. At its lower end the handle 3 of the umbrella has a cylindrical recess with a ring bead i3 and an axial opening 14. Between the lower edge of the cylindrical recess and the upper edge of the opening 1 3- is formed a ringshaped shoulder 15. The handle 3 of the umbrella is made of a resilient but not too soft material, for instance of an artificial material such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like.

A flap valve consisting of a valve body with a valve seat 16 and a valve flap 17 is inserted into the above mentioned tube-like part 5 which may also consist of one of the said artificial materials and with which the valve body may be made of one piece. The valve body has supporting ribs for the flap 17 which are best seen in Fig. 8, air passages being formed between such ribs. A U-shaped supporting member 18 is screwed to the part 5, in which a pin 19 with rounded ends, projecting into one of the air passages of the valve body 16 is slidably mounted. The pin 19 is held in its lower rest position as shown in Fig. 3 by a coil spring 20 when the umbrella stick is extended, the said rest position being determined by the abutment of a pin 21 on the part 18.

or ribs 36.

At its upper end the part has a thin flange 22 having for instance a thickness of 0.5 mm. and a radial length of 5 mm. A lower foil'23 of an artificial material such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like is tightly welded to the upper rirn portion of the flange 22 along a welding seam 24. Preferably the part 5 and its. flange 22=are made of .the same thermoplastic artificial .m..- terial as the foil.23, in order that these parts may easily and tightly be welded together. A disc 26 made of the same material as the flange 22 is welded to the latter by means of welding spots 25, an upper foil 27 of the umbrella coverbeing inserted between parts 22 and 25 before welding them together. passage slits will be formed between adjacentv welding .spots 25, through which the air may flow from the interior of part5 into the hollow space betweenfoils 23 and27. The welding spots 25. are subsequently perforated, so that a'nurnber'corresponding tothe number of spots 25 of openings 28 is formed serving for a .purpose explained later on. Theupper foil 27 is tightly welded to the disc 26 along acircular seam 29. r V

' The upper foil'27 has the polygonal shape shown in Fig. '2, whereas thelower foil 23 hasa star-like shape seam 32 extends inwards from the edge of the cover,

along which the ,foils 23 and 27 are welded onto each other. At the inner end of the beams or ribs 39 the upper foil is contracted and'weldedtogether along seams 33. Vertically arranged stiffening ribs Mare welded into the hollow spaces or canals formed over thebeams the umbrella cover' in-their inflated state is substantially increased by such stifiening ribs'34 so that the umbrella cannot be turned practically. It was found to be an advantage to make the supporting ribs or canals of the umbrella cover of smaller, section in .their middle portion than at their ends in order to obtain regular tension of the umbrella cover. Y

Handling and operation of therumbrella as described are as follows: v a I In the folded or collapsed state of .the umbrella the spiral tape 4'oftheumbrella stick 2 is slid onto the part 5 Whereon it is held by the handle 3 of which the cylindrical portion with the bead i3 is tightly pressed onto the escapes through the flap valve 16, 17 into the hollow spaces of theumbrella cover. After having compressed the spiral tape in this way the user returns the handle to the fully extended position, whereby the opening 14 is uncovered so that air may flow into the interior of the spiral tape or whereby air will fiow into the interior of the spiral tape through the opening 8 which is uncovered in the fully extendedstate of the spiral tape.

the cover. near the attachment of the foils'23 and 27 and the ribs or canals over the beams are inflated so that the stiffening ribs 34 are stretched thereby imparting great stability to the umbrella cover. By the welding seams .32 projecting to a given depth into the ribs or canals 30, the foils 23 and 27 are attached to each other inthese places whereby an increased tension is eflected onto the outer portions adjacent the supporting ribs of. the upper foil 27 which is therefore uniformly stretched. The welding seams'33 also add to the good stability and shape of the umbrella cover. V v V r 7 When the umbrella cover has sufficiently been inflated in the manner described the umbrella stick 2may easily be stiffened by turning the handle 3 in the winding direction of the spiral tape 4 until the windings of the spiral are tightly pressed one against the other and will adhere to each other by friction. The pressing ring 11 is now pulled downwards from the rest position shown in Fig. 4 so that the inner wall of the handle 3 is tightly pressed against the lower windings of the spiral tape, whereby a the same is secured against loosening. In this simple Way. the whole spiral tape is stifiened and secured against loosening and will constitute a solid stick having great supporting capacity and bending resistance.

if the umbrella shall be collapsed or folded again,

7 the pressing ring 11 is pushed upwards on the conical Itwas discovered that thestability and the a bending resistance of the supporting canals or ribs of lower end of the part 5. If necessary the pressing ring I 11 may bepulled downwards so that the wall of the handle .is pressed against the spiral tape 4 thereby avoid-- ing relative displacement of the spiral windings.

The

deflated cover of the umbrella is tightly wound over the partsS and 3 whereby alpacket of about 8 cm. (3

, inches) in length and 4 to 6 cm. (lVz-ZVz'inches) in otheriso that the stick may feasily be telescoped in axial direction. 'Thepartsare' in the positions shown in Figs. 1

31and 4. The usergrabs the uppermost windings-of the spiral 'tape with his one hand and pushes against the lower face of the handle with the face of'his other hand i so that. the opening 14 is closed and the spiral tape is V telescoped together; Thereby the air enclosed in the interior: oflthe; stick or spiral tape is compressed and external face 10 of the handle3, whereby the radial pressure against the lower windings of the spiral tape ceases so that the spiral tape is loosened. The spiral tape may now easily be telescoped together and thehandle 3 pressed onto the part 5 in the manner described. Thereby the annular shoulder 15 of the handle 3 .bearsjagainst the lower end of thepin 19 which is pushed upwards against the efiect of the spring 29 until the upper end of the. pin 19lifts the flap 17 of the flap valve from its seat. The air contained in thehollow spaces of the umbrella cover quickly escapes through the valve and the opening 14 of the handle 3. The pressing ring 11 may be pulled v downwards again in order to improve the attachment of the spiral tape and of the handle 3' to the part 5, whereon the deflated foilsof the umbrella cover are folded and wound onto the parts '3 and 5. The aircaught in the interior of the umbrella cover when the'same is folded and wound onto the parts 5 and 3 may escape through the openings 23. Experiments have shown that folding 'of the umbrella cover and winding of the same onto the collapsed umbrella stick is extremely difijculflor impossible without provision of the air passages 28.

A small bag may be sold with the umbrella, into which the folded umbrella may be put in the folded state. The bag containing the folded umbrella'rnayconveniently be transported in a portfolio or even in the pocket of an overcoat, in a small ladys bag or theilike.

If the umbrella shall'be opened again the above men-" tioned handlingiis repeated, whereby the shoulder 15 tively small pressure difierences are suflicient for operah ing the valve and in order that there is no appreciable flow resistance in the valve. 7 V I The spiral ,7 tape is now compressed again and the reciprocating pumping movement is proceeded with until the hollow spaces. of the umbrella cover are sufliciently inflated for carrying Thereby-a stiff ring-shaped swelling is formed Many details of the umbrella as shown and described might be changed or additional elements might be added.

Of course other means than the split handle and the pressing ring 11 might be provided for exerting a radial pressure onto the lower windings of the spiral tape in order to prevent relative movement of the windings of the spiral tape.

The stability of the umbrella may appreciably be increased if one beam of a star-shaped foil 35 is connected with the lower foil 30 of each of the canals or ribs of the umbrella cover as shown in Fig. 10. The hub-shaped center portion of the foil 35 is connected to a ring 36 which is axially movable on the stick 2 and which is pushed upwards under the flange 22 of the part 5 when the umbrella stick is collapsed. This stabilizing foil 35 does not take much space in the folded umbrella but adds appreciably to the stiffness and stability of the umbrella.

What I claim is:

1. A folding umbrella of the type having a roof or cover of flexible sheet material, preferably an artificial material, the cover or roof having hollow spaces, such as supporting ribs or supporting cushions shaping the cover or roof when inflated and the cover being easily foldable when deflated, characterized in that the umbrella stick consists of a spiral tape in the shape of a volute spring variable in its axial extension.

2. A folding umbrella according to claim 1, the interior of the said spiral tape being in communication with the hollow spaces of the cover of the umbrella through a non-return air valve.

3. A folding umbrella according to claim 2, the spiral tape being made of resilient material and the unstressed spiral tape having an extension determining the length of the stick when in use.

4. A folding umbrella according to claim 3, means being provided at the end of the spiral tape remote of the cover for subjecting this end of the spiral tape to uniformly distributed radial pressure in order to avoid rela tive movement of the windings of the spiral tape.

5. A folding umbrella according to claim 4, the end of the spiral tape remote of the cover being fixed in the interior of a sleeve-like handle having a resilient, deformable wall and a conical outer surface on the said wall, a pressing ring being axially movable on the said outer conical surface of the wall of the handle.

6. A folding umbrella according to claim 2, the cover of the umbrella being made of two foils tightly connected with each other along their outer edges, the hollow space formed between such foils being in communication with the said interior of the spiral tape through the said valve and a tube-like connecting piece being inserted between the said spiral tape and the foils, a radial flange on the said connecting piece and a covering disc connected in places with the said radial flange, the one of the said foils being connected to the rim of the flange and the other of the said foils being connected to the rim of the said disc.

7. A folding umbrella according to claim 6, the said foils being made of a thermoplastic material, the said connecting piece with its flange and the covering disc consisting of the same thermoplastic artificial material as the foils and being spot welded to each other, radial passage slits being formed between adjacent welding spots.

8. A folding umbrella according to claim 7, canals passing throughout the said Welding spots connecting the covering disc and the flange.

9. In a folding umbrella according to claim 2, a device for opening the said valve, and a control member provided at the handle end of the umbrella stick adapted to control the said device for discharging the air from the umbrella cover when the said spiral tape is pushed together. '7

10. A folding umbrella of the type having a roof or cover of flexible sheet material, preferably an artificial material, the cover or roof having hollow spaces, such as supporting ribs or supporting cushions shaping the cover or roof when inflated and the cover being easily foldable when deflated, an umbrella stick consisting of a spiral tape in the shape of a volute spring variable in its axial extension, small canals passing transversely through the cover of the umbrella without communicating with the said hollow spaces of the umbrella cover near the fixing place of the cover on the umbrella stick.

11. A folding umbrella having a collapsible stick consisting of a spiral tape in the shape of a volute spring variable in its axial extension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,049,380 Huber July 28, 1936 2,625,946 Kaston Jan. 20, 1953 2,736,329 Cornellier Feb. 28, 1956 2,753,878 Halberstam July 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,604 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1918 

